DSpace Collection:
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11889/1139
2024-03-28T09:06:45ZEvaluation of a Natural Phytoremediation System in Wadi Zomer for Pollution Reduction in Industrial Wastewater from Nablus West, Palestine
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11889/6694
Title: Evaluation of a Natural Phytoremediation System in Wadi Zomer for Pollution Reduction in Industrial Wastewater from Nablus West, Palestine
Authors: Odai Attili, Rashed Al-Sa`ed
Abstract: In Nablus Governorate, agrifood industries including dairies, olive mills, and slaughterhouses discharge diverse wastewater streams without pretreatment due to the lack of onsite pre-treatment systems. Nablus West Sewage Treatment Plant (NWSTP) is facing major operational challenges with associated economic and environmental impacts. NWSTP is not designed to co-treat high organic pollution loads of industrial origin without pretreatment. Treated wastewater from NWSTP, the main water flow in Wadi Zomer, is mixed downstream with raw industrial discharges from Nablus West. Besides impairing Wadi Zomer's water quality, the illicit industrial discharges into public sewer networks lead to non-compliance of NWSTP with the Palestinian Specification (PS 227, 2010) pertaining to industrial wastewater discharge into water bodies. This study investigates the role of natural wetlands along Wadi Zomer in reducing the organic and inorganic pollution loads from diverse industrial discharges including the residual pollution loads originating from the NWSTP. Along a length of 5 km downstream of NWSTP, four sampling stations were selected to assess the purification capacity of Wadi Zomer including the role of natural wetlands plant (Phragmites australis) in pollution loads reduction. Since, the watercourse of Wadi Zomer and its major tributaries pass through various hydrogeological, topographic landscape with diverse industrial sites, four main sampling stations (S1 to S4), distributed over a flow distance of 5 km long from NWSTP (S1), and were chosen for water quality monitoring. A total number of one hundred samples (44 water, 44 sediment, and 12 vegetation samples) including one vegetation control, were analyzed for physical and chemical parameters over a period of eight months (August-December, 2019, and Jan-March, 2020). The results show that sampling stations S2 (0+0.5 km) and S3 (0+3.0 km) were identified as key stations reflecting an increase in pollution loads due to illicit industrial discharge and sewer overflow discharge from NWST during emergency conditions in the results obtained. The BOD values varied significantly along sampling sites and ranged from 6.64 to 437.10 mg/l. The study revealed that the water in S1 and S2 had BOD levels below PVL standard (PSI, 227/2010) and that S3 and S4 had BOD levels (437.1300.8), (333.9233.7) mg/l respectively, above the maximum permissible limits. Similar fluctuation tendencies in the concentration of COD and nutrients (NH4 and PO4). Compared to control site values, the water samples from all sites (S1-S4) showed a decreasing tendency in the concentrations of heavy metals (Fe>Cu>Zn>Cr >Ni) and were below the national standard limits. The pollution tendency of heavy metals in the sediment followed the same decrease pattern in water samples with the flow course of Wadi Zomer. The concentration of Fe (6687 mg/kg) and Cu (1384.7 mg/kg) were found at the highest in sediment samples (S1-S4), this might be due to point, and non-point sources of pollution, with a similar tendency, found for Zn, Cr and Ni for all sites. This may be due to the direct discharge of industrial wastewater from metal, tanneries, and textile industries, established in the western side of Nablus city, into Wadi Zomer without pretreatment. Wadi Zomer's catchment area is coupled to the mountain aquifer, where polluted environmental flows could infiltrate into the aquifer. Significant phytoremediation capacity was found for iron, copper, and zinc within the roots of P. australis, and largely retained in the sediment. Despite the short-term period of data collection, the findings in this study should still provide technical help and a valuable reference for policymakers and joint service councils to implement effective pollution control and monitoring associated with science-based land-use planning. Further study is required to examine the seasonal variations in mass balance for water and metal contents in the different compartments of the natural wetland system along the Wadi Zomer course. The results obtained suggest the development of rehabilitation programs using nature-based technologies along the Wadi Zomer watercourse and help the selection of primary monitoring stations aiming at sustainable water management for the whole watershed area. The urgent needs to improve the environmental flows of the Wadi watercourse considering the multi-beneficial uses for agricultural irrigation and recreational use warrant further investigations.2020-08-29T00:00:00ZEfficacy of UASB System for the Pretreatment of Mixed Industrial Wastewaters from Poultry Slaughterhouse and Olive Mill
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11889/6693
Title: Efficacy of UASB System for the Pretreatment of Mixed Industrial Wastewaters from Poultry Slaughterhouse and Olive Mill
Authors: Aseel Najajra, Rashed Al-Sa`ed
Abstract: The dire situation and various challenges in the current management of industrial wastewater in Palestinian communities are the drivers behind this research study. Rapid urban expansion contributes to increased municipal wastewater generation (MWW) and inadequate wastewater treatment (WWT) which leads to deterioration of the receiving environment, poses health risks, and leads to deterioration of sewage infrastructures. This study investigates the effectiveness of a pilot system, installed at Birzeit University campus, which includes a UASB system pretreating industrial wastewater mixture from a chicken slaughterhouse and an olive press (Zibar). This system follows a post-treatment in parallel treatment systems; waste stabilization ponds (WSPs) and vertical flow constructed wetlands (VFCWs). The effect of mixing ratios of industrial wastewater on the efficacy of UASB system and the effect of hazardous pollutants (phenol and some elements of heavy metals) on biogas production measured. Laboratory analyzes of physical and chemical parameters performed on the effluent in the UASB system and in the outlet. Two UASB experimental reactors were installed on the campus of Birzeit University to treat mixed industrial wastewater from olive mill water (Zibar) and chicken slaughterhouses. The two reactors were operated in parallel for a period of four months at ambient temperatures ranging between 25-35 ºC. The operation was carried out in two different stages. The first stage works at two different speeds, the feeding rate of the first system (UASB 1) was 166 l/day, the second system (UASB 2) was 230 l/day, and the Zibar ratio was 5%. While in the second phase the pump was installed at a feeding rate of 155 l/day, and the rate of Zibar increased to 10%.
Samples were taken from the two systems inlet and outlet and analyzed inside the university's laboratories. The table below lists the design parameters including the results obtained including the removal efficiency rates for the key parameters during the first and second operational phases. V
The wastewater treatment of mixed industrial water was studied using the UASB anaerobic reactor over a period of 4 months. This system was operated under different operating conditions (different feed flow rates of the two systems, organic loading rate, and different hydraulic retention time), to remove organic matter and solids from mixed industrial wastewater. The organic pollutants were removed in the UASB anaerobic reactor, and the removal efficiency rate of the first stage was for the COD, VSS, TSS, TKN, and Total Phenol were 36.1%, 68%, 51%, 16.8%, 100%, respectively, for the UASB 1, 61%, 69%, 74%, 24% and 100% respectively for the UASB 2. As for the heavy elements, the rate of removal efficiency ratio for Zn, Cr, and Cu were 38.8%, 54.8%, and 83.8%, respectively for the UASB 1, and 9.45%, 57%, and 83.8% respectively for the UASB 2, and the components Cd and Pb were not present for both. The removal efficiency rate for the second stage was for the COD, VSS, TSS, TKN, and Total Phenol were 64.6%, 71%, 80%, 39.5%, 100%, respectively for UASB 1, 59.6%, 73%, 77%, 28.5% and 100% respectively for the UASB 2, as for the production of biogas, the average production was for the UASB 1 were 0.544 m3/kg.COD and 1.568 m3/kg.COD for the UASB 2. The results showed that UASB 2 is better than UASB 1. The overall removal efficiency of the two systems during the applied phases was good, and most of the time it met the sewage network drainage standards. The results of the research lead to future directions in the framework of research and development in anaerobic treatment to achieve optimal utilization of biogas as an alternative energy source and reduce the load of organic pollution in the receiving environment as well as avoid the deterioration of sanitation facilities.2020-12-01T00:00:00ZEffectiveness of Constructed Wetlands for Post-treatment of Mixed Wastewaters from Poultry Slaughterhouse and Olive Mill
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11889/6692
Title: Effectiveness of Constructed Wetlands for Post-treatment of Mixed Wastewaters from Poultry Slaughterhouse and Olive Mill
Authors: Hiba Faqeeh, Rashed Al-Sa`ed
Abstract: The quality standards of treated wastewater have become more stringent in recent times, which led to high costs and energy that are required to reduce pollution loads from municipal wastewater. Constructed wetlands (CWs), an alternative to mechanized wastewater treatment technologies, have lower capital expenditures with low annual running costs (low energy and personal demands). A pilot system of vertical flow constructed wetlands (CWs) planted with Phragmites australis species was installed and operated after two UASB reactors at Birzeit University campus, Palestine. The study aimed at investigating the efficacy of the pilot CWs system as a post-treatment stage of anaerobically pretreated mixed industrial wastewater from poultry slaughterhouse and olive mill under variable mixtures. For a period of 6 months (May-October, 2020), the CWs pilot system (four beds with 3 m2 each) was monitored at average loading rates for COD (64.6-145 g/(m2.d) and for TKN (21.4-34.4 g /(m2.d). Further, the potential of heavy metals accumulation in CWs vegetation was assessed. We argue that nature-based solutions are environmentally sound options for high-quality effluent reclamation that comply with Palestinian technical regulations for effluent reuse in agricultural irrigation purposes. The results of the research will lead to closing the gap in circular bioeconomy pertinent to efficient use of water recycling in beneficial uses, thus contributing to achieving the water-food-energy-security in Palestine. The findings of this research study included the following:
• The constructed wetland system, under investigation, showed a good performance in the removal of organic and inorganic pollutants in agrifood industrial effluents (COD, TSS, TKN, heavy metals, and total phenols).
• The purification efficacy of CWs for mixed industrial water from olive presses and poultry slaughterhouses was satisfactory with high removal percentages (95% - 99%).
• The constructed wetland system achieved average removal rates for COD (33.2-67.7 g/(m2.d) and for TKN (10.5-21.2 g /(m2.d).
• In a semi-arid country, the constructed wetlands produced treated water of high quality with the possibility of water reuse in landscape and agricultural irrigation.
Anaerobically pre-treated agrifood industrial wastewaters (poultry slaughterhouse and olive mill press) were successfully treated, over a period of six months (May-October 2020), using a pilot-scale constructed wetland system. Optimizing the system operation and long-term investigations warrant further exploration to ensure compliance of treated water with local reuse standards and ensure safe disposal into receiving environment.2021-01-11T00:00:00ZSeptage composition and pollution fluxes from cesspits in Palestine.
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11889/6672
Title: Septage composition and pollution fluxes from cesspits in Palestine.
Authors: Amous, B.; Mahmoud, N.; van der Steen, P.; Lens, P. N. L.
Abstract: The cesspit septage quality and pollution loads of total nitrogen (TN) and heavy metals (HMs) from 50
cesspits were assessed during various filling periods. The average specific wastewater production,
emptied septage and infiltrated septage were 49, 30 and 19 L/c d, respectively. The TN specific loads
of septage fractions that were emptied and infiltrated were 8.5 and 3.3 g/c d, respectively. The
concentrations of HMs (mg/L) in the septage were Cu (0.24), Ni (0.03), Pb (0.01), Mn (0.47), Fe (12.6),
Cr (0.04) and Zn (1.23). The septage content of Cu, Mn and Fe did not comply with the Palestinian
regulations for wadi disposal nor effluent reuse in agriculture. The specific TN infiltration from
cesspits amounts to 29 kg TN/ha y. There was no relation between the HM and TN content of septage
and the desludging frequency. The infiltrated septage contributed to as much as 15% of the total
groundwater recharge in the study area. This study confirms that cesspits in Palestine should be
replaced with proper wastewater management systems for adequate environmental protection.2020-12-15T00:00:00Z